


What Happened before the Doors of Death.

by AAThanatos



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Heroes of Olympus, PJO, Rick Riordan - Freeform, percy jackson - Freeform, soangelo - Freeform, solangelo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-11-21 08:54:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11354082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AAThanatos/pseuds/AAThanatos
Summary: Nico is about to embark on his solo quest to find the Doors of death. Will Solace and Lou Ellen decide to give him a care package. Pretty much this just shows that Heroes of Olympus isn't the first time Solangelo made contact.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is fluff. 
> 
> Nico has no clue how many people both love him and are rooting for him. Or how much help he actually gets.

The son of Hades was gathering a few things from the very underused cabin at CHB. Getting ready for this trip to the doors of death seemed so normal in comparison to what he had decided to do. Nico had been a nomad for going on four years and considered himself a minimalist. The over done goth layout of cabin 13 might have been interesting to him 3 years ago but now it just seemed childish. 

First aid kit, compass, freeze dried food, pup tent, 2 changes of clothes and 10 pairs of socks... you can never keep your feet dry enough! Water, he had to remember to fill a few canteens before he left. Stripping down he decided a shower would be good before he left. You never know when the next one is going to be when your on the move. In just a pair of sweat pants he took his skull ring off and placed it on an obsidian table next to a leather thong strip with camp beads along it. Picking it up he kissed the blue one with the trident on it. 

Grabbing a towel he headed for the bathroom when he heard a knock on his door. 

"Be here in a sec!" He called out. 

Turning down his CD player to a lower volume he headed over to the door to find Will Solace and Lou Ellen on the other side.

"May I help you?"

"Yeah I'm rumor has it that you are going to the doors of death in the morning."

"The rumors are true, what's it to you?"

"Well I thought we would bring you a few things for the trip."

"Why?"

"Camp tradition when your going on a quest. Thought you knew that?"

"I do I just never thought I would be getting anything. Well to be fair Clovis brought me some stuff earlier but him and I have been talking a lot in the dream realm."

"That's... that's weird. Anyway may we come in so we can give you the stuff?"

"Sure. I will get drinks."

Will and Lou looked at eachother puzzled at Nicos politeness and hospitality. They made themselves comfortable on the the black sofa shaped like a large bat.

" white." Nico stated clearly and the green torches changes their color scheme to throw everything into better relief and better visibility. 

"That's a great trick."

"Comes standard with the cabin."

Laying out three glasses he poured tea into them and had a small pound cake cut into slices on a tray. Placing on the coffee table he sat across from them.

"Mind if I spice up this party? I am going on a quest and could use a night cap."

Nico pulled a silver flask out of his pocket.

"Only of you share!" Lou Ellen piped up.

Pouring what looked like rum into the tea glasses a smile spread across Nicos face as Lou's reaction.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile?" Will teased.

"Yeah well I'm tired. I'll be scary and brooding tomorrow."

"Why do you have serial killer music playing?" Lou asked looking at the stereo systems screen window.

"It's not like that! It's lullabies. Clovis brought it to me. Thought it would help me sleep. They are apparently from more modern songs. The collection is called twinkle twinkle little rockstar."

"That's adorable."

"No it's relaxing. I'm not caught up with music yet and I'm used to classical. This should help me transition better. Atleast that's what Clovis said."

"Sounds legit. So we brought you a few things." Will rummaged in a cardboard box.

"Ok so we have packets of ambrosia and nectar. I made the nectar into lollipops so just eat them slow. No more than one pop and one square when injured. 6 hours until you can eat another or you will burn up. Lou made you a water bottle that never empties. It's only good for water though. Cecil got you a Swiss knife that opens most locks. Mr.D even included spy glass that helps you see threw walls."

"That's creepy."

"Yes. What was creepier is that he said your name correctly."

"He always says my name correctly."

"What!" Both screamed.

"Yeah what's the big deal?"

"He's been calling me Mary lou for 3 years and Will here is Walter Simmons most of the time."

"Wow that's hysterical. Guy um I know we don't know eachother very well but thank you. I didn't expect this. "

"No problem bud.. Nico um wow you have a lot of scars!"

Nico blushed and rushed to put his shirt on not realizing he forgot to put one on."

"It's nothing just quest stuff."

"I believe you but can I take a look at them maybe I can help..."

"NO! It's fine. I.. I don't like to be touched. Sorry I just shouted I just.. I don't like to be touched. "

"Whoa ok dude wasn't trying anything just doctors concern stuff. "

"Well I'm fine I'm ok. "

"Well we should let you get packed and back to listening to your serial killer music."

"Hey it's a mood thing! I'm getting ready for bed so it helps calm me down."

"Whatever you say sunshine." Will laughed. 

Showing them to the door Nico thanked them again and locked the door behind them.  
***

Walking away from Nicos cabin Lou noticed the suppressed smile Will couldn't wipe off his face.

"You are so screwed Will."

"What?!"

"You like him!"

"No I don't he's just... there's more than meets the eye with that one. It was nice to see he has a softer side."

"Yeah and it involved rum and pound cake! Seriously those manners!" She fanned her face in the old timey gesture. 

"Yeah he's actually super polite right?"

"Must be the 1930s thing Annabeth told me about when I was digging up dirt on him."

"Why were you digging up dirt?"

"Because ever since the battle of Manhattan you haven't shut up about him and I think that might be the first time you actually spoke to him."

"It was actually. I don't always talk about him!"

"Will you gathered all these things for him and usually a care package for a quest is a few clothes and some ambrosia. You had me make the canteen and you got Cecil to make the knife! You even asked Dionysus to help out. You have a super crush on that dude. "

Yeah well look at him! He's freaking beautiful! He had his shirt off and oh the scars! As sad as they make me they also make me super hot.... wow I just admitted that to you."

"Yes you did. And I will never let you live it down."

"Maybe if he comes back I'll ask him out. Maybe he will stay for once."

"Maybe.. how do you know he's gay?"

"Just a feeling. Gaydar and such. "

"Well let's hope that he can get over a few issues first before you end up dating him."

"Issues?"

"Yeah. You didn't notice?"

"Notice what?"

"Will, he said the music was mood thing. I looked at the music because it sounded familiar. He has "the unforgiven" on repeat. The Metallica song. That's not sleep music even if it is just an instrumental. That's a red flag. You know he's been through a lot and he's about to put himself through more. He may not come back the same... or come back at all. "

"The unforgiven... that's a a very fitting song. I wonder who he wants to forgive."

"Will, my dense little gay cupcake. I have a feeling it's himself. You have heard the stories. Most of them are true. Just know what kind of pool your jumping into."

"The dating pool Lou. It's the dating pool."

"You are such an ass."

***

Nico was asleep with his bags packed in the corner of the room. On the opposite bunk Mr. D was watching him sleep with a glass of wine in his hand swirling the contents. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hades appear in the corner. Without words he strolled over and sat next to him. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Thought I would check on him before the quest. What are you doing here?"

"Same."

"You know this could really break him. You sure you want your son to go through with this? If Tartarus gets a hold of him he will never be the same."

"I know. But you know I'm not allowed to interfere. "

"True"

"But you are... you can help him."

"I am. I blessed his ring. It will help him keep his mind together while on this quest. Though even my power has limits Hades. The place will tear him apart but with that ring he will not be unsavable. He will have a chance."

"Why do you take such interest in him? He's not even your kid."

"No but I am the god of madness. I know what it's like to be terrified of your own mind. To not trust what your head is telling you. To not even be able to rely on yourself. I know what that's like. After all I was a demi God once too. "

"Yes and then you became the party god. Tell me party god what kind of party is this?"

"Oh this is a pity party. With a smooth Rosa Regale. "

"Nice."

"Yeah. Hades you need to stop trying to interfere with him. I lost a son in the last war and it was awful. Interfering made it so much worse to lose him."

"Oh I'm already in to deep. He's my only boy as if this century. So far he's the most powerful of any of my kids. Makes me wonder how Bianca would have fared. "

"Honestly I met that one and I can tell you that his one is more interesting. Also more lovable and less selfish. In fact I don't think the boy has a selfish bone in his body. He deserves a bit of happiness."

"Oh if he can survive this he will be. I've arranged something with Aphrodite. The gears are already turning. "

"Please tell me it's not the Jackson kid!"

"No no. The Apollo healer. Solace."

"How did you know he was gay?"

"Oh Ditey told me. She can sense that stuff better than me. Did you know he was gay?"

"He hasn't told me yet but the way he won't shut up about that Jackson kid I had an inkling. "

"Kids right?"

"Yeah... kids."

 

Leave Kudos and comments if you like it!! It makes my whole day hearing from you guys.


	2. Wills thoughts of Nico

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked me what Wills thoughts on Nico were. This is what Will Solace thought of Nico before he came back with the Athena statue.

Part of being the son of the god of prophecy is that sometimes you can kind of see into someone's head. When you know how people think it's easier to for shadow their actions and beliefs. You see clearly which direction they want or will go. It's not exactly mind reading as much as flashes. Pictures, sounds, smells, an all encompassing feeling. I studied a certain son of death before I took the plunge to be part of his life. Nico only showed up to camp for a few days at a time, to recover and leave messages for people from his father. 

So when I would interact with him it was usually brief or I would just watch him from afar. Where everyone else steered clear of him due to fear, I was absolutely obsessed with him. Yet I couldn't bring myself to approach him often. To scared of rejection. I knew one day I would have to put my foot down about that but that wasn't today. I watched the way he would spar in the middle of the night with skeletons he would conjure. Felt how the darkness would roll off his body, but then I would get flashes from his mind. Beautiful images of hope and kindness. Poetry littered his thoughts along with self hatred and a longing that was ripping through his body in the same capacity of pain. 

I wanted to touch him. Hold his hand and tell him that's everything was going to be ok. On request I would ask Clovis to show me some of his dreams, I needed to know what lurked behind those impossibly long dark lashes. Nico had an elegance that boys of this day and age lacked. Every move he made was precise and full of intention, nothing was a mistake or a slip. Walking and fighting drew the same fascination as a dance with every limb full grace and pause. How could I not be obsessed with him. This boy knew death in its most intimate form. Nico knew how much it hurt to lose someone you loved yet also new how necessary death truly was. That was a fact I have still yet to truly harness and understand. I wanted him to teach me. 

I wanted him to show me how to let go when I couldn't keep life bound to a body. Show me how it's better when someone dies than when they live because I still can't do it, and I so want to. Every time I feel life slip from someone's body it almost drives me over the edge. I know that in some circumstances that it's better for people to let go instead of remain in pain, but I'm still a kid and can't let them go. Everyone I couldn't save haunts me to this day, my brothers, my friends, my mother, I needed the ghost king to set them free from my mind. To soothe my thoughts of overwhelming guilt of not being able to save them. 

What I wouldn't give to feel those long piano players fingers to brush over me. To pull the curls back from my eyes. In a way I guess you could say I wanted death to touch me. The feeling of his cool skin against mine. Cupping my face, peppering me with kisses and telling me that it's alright. That some people cannot be saved and that it wasn't my fault. Hearing his low smooth tones emit words of comfort over my soul. Feel his raven hair dance across me, littering me with the scent of clove and orange blossoms. Yes I was obsessed with Nico Di Angelo. Sometimes in his dreams I see myself, I'm in the background yet I'm fully visible. The other background people in his dreams have fuzzy edges and warped features. Not me though, I'm crystal clear yet still not in the center ring of the chaos. Percy usually was. Percy and his sister Bianca. Lately a small black girl with cinnamon hair has been showing up too. 

I don't know when and I don't know how, but I'm going to be the object of his affection one day. My father showed me that much. Nico di Angelo would survive the Doors of death and the war on us all. Survive and come back, and I shall remain right here waiting for him. Ready to convince him to stop running. To stay. Show him that he has a home right here with us, with me. Father showed me bits of our life together. Sweet kisses and brushing of fingers. Fights and bickering that lasted for days. My horrifying attempt to learn Italian. The happiness that comes with waking up to alabaster skin curled against my tanned side. I wanted all of the things he showed me, the good and the bad. I don't care how hard it's going to be. The fact was that it was worth it, he was worth it, all of it. The pain was nothing compared to the bliss I could give him. The normal life he so craved. I could give that to him. I would give that to him and everything and anything he wants. I was already his and he didn't even know it. 

Nico was wandering in his life right now not even realizing how loved he was. All because it wasn't the right time yet. For now he would have to suffer with his eyes closed in the darkness, until I finally show him that he can thrive in the light. It wouldn't be long now. I would wait as long as it takes as long as I knew it was going to happen. I would make it happen, no matter how hard he tries to push it away I will push harder. The more he struggles to throw away his happy ending, I will hold him tighter so that he stays long enough to see beyond the devastation that's his own mind. I will convince him every time he doubts for a second in this life. It was my task, the real reason I existed, my own trial. I will take it on gladly knowing that he is the prize at the end of it all. 

Nico Di Angelo, I will show you true love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and reviews are much appreciated and keep me going!


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